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CEFA LNE

The examination and assessment of railway structures are undertaken under the Civils Examinations Framework Agreement (CEFA) and Civils Assessments Framework (CAFA), Agreement on behalf of Network Rail. This 5 Year Contract (with a potential 2 year extension) was awarded to Amey in Jan 2014, it covers 1 Network Rail Routes in England, the London Northern Eastern and East Midlands Route. The Route runs from Berwick to kings Cross on the east side of the Country.

What Do We Do?

Structural Examinations

Work is undertaken by a team of Examination, Technical, Engineering and support staff totalling some 100, examinations are based upon a condition survey of the structure, engineers then make recommendations for remedial works or other interventions. All structures, bridges, tunnels, walls and culverts, receive at least a visual examination every year, then at varying intervals based upon 6 years a full tactile examination (detailed) is undertaken, this involves accessing every part of the structure. The team also undertake additional examinations on sensitive structures, to monitor the performance of structures; this involves monitoring methods ranging from simple date tabs to sophisticated technological solutions.

As part of the service we provide a 24/7 365 day per year On call Service for incidents on the Railway Infrastructure, generally these involve the collision of a vehicle with a structure, known as “Bridge strikes”. The team also inspects underwater elements of structures, including the procurement of diving services in deep water.

Structures Assessments

Undertaken by a team of approximately 40 professional engineers located in York. The main body of work comprises the structural inspection and assessment of underbridges,overbridges, footbridges and station structures to determine safe load capacity and any requirements relating to maintenance and overall fitness for purpose. In addition to the simple (Level 1) assessment work, the team also undertake more complex (Level 2) work, which can comprise advanced structural analysis in order to demonstrate higher levels of capacity than can be shown by hand calculation.

Operational Property Inspections

A team of around 10 Building Surveyors undertake inspections of Station Buildings, Light Maintenance Depots, and Lineside Buildings. A full survey is undertaken on a 5 yearly basis, supplemented with annual inspections of key structures. Surveys are recorded on hand-held deviceswhich interface with Network Rail’s Property database.

Earthworks Examinations

A team of Earthworks Examiners cover a distance of around 200 miles per year, generally undertaken in the winter months to take advantage of low vegetation levels. Examinations are recorded on hand-held devices which interface with Network Rail’s database - GISmo.